Suction gripping device

ABSTRACT

A suction device for gripping an object wherein the device includes a container. The container has a compartment which is capable of withstanding a vacuum relative to ambient pressure, and a plunger slidably and sealably extends through a wall of the container. Elastomeric means are mounted to the exterior of the container about the plunger for forming a chamber. The plunger extends beyond the container so as to be capable of engaging the object and sliding toward the vacuum compartment when the elastomeric means is pushed against the object. The plunger has passageway means for communicating the chamber with the vacuum compartment when the plunger is slid toward the vacuum compartment. With such a device a vacuum is established within the chamber when the elastomeric means is pushed against the object so that the object is gripped for retention, movement, or retrieval purposes.

r United States Patent 91 [111 3,853,345

Miller Dec. 10, 1974 SUCTION GRIPPING DEVICE Primary Examiner-Even C.Blunk Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry 75 I t. Do ldMll S D ,Clf. 1men or 1 an lego Attorney, Agent, or Firm-R1chard S. Sciascia; Ervin[73] Assignee: The United States of America as F Johnston represented bythe Secretary of the .Navy, Washington, DC.

57 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Nov. 30, 1973 I 1 A suction device for grippingan object wherein the [21] Appl' 420404 device includes a container. Thecontainer has a compartment which is capable of withstanding a vacuum[52] U.S.'Cl 294/64 R relative to ambient ressur and a p g r slida ly[51] Int.- Cl. B66c 1/02 and sealably extends through a wall of thecontainer. [58] Field of Search 294/64 R, 65, 66 R, 88; Elastomericmeans are mounted to the exterior of the 114/51; 214/650 SG 248/562,316}; 251/1124, container about the plunger for forming a chamber.251/325; 269/21; 279/3 The plunger extends beyond the container so as tobe capable of engaging the object and sliding toward the [56] ReferencesCited vacuum compartment when the elastomeric means is UNITED STATESPATENTS pushed against the object. The plunger has passageway means forcommunicating the chamber with the gggz lg et 2 2? vacuum compartmentwhen the plunger is slid toward 3'481858 12/1969 Fromsont: X the vacuumcompartment. With such a device a vac- 3:549:031 12/1970 Blood a a].294/65 X uum is established within the chamber when the elas- 3,587,5066/1971 Thompson 114/51 tomeric means is pushed against the object sothat the 3,602,543 8/1971 Sjodin 294/64 R object is gripped forretention, movement, or retrieval 3,696,596 10/1972 Wegscheid... 294/64R purposes 3,724,504 4/1973 Matsui 251/325 X r 9 Claims, 4 DrawingFigures we 2g SUCTION GRIPPING DEVICE STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTERESTThe invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The Navy is dealing more and more with thebottom of the ocean. In some instances, instrumentation is inserted intothe ocean for retrieving and recording functional data of the oceanstemperature, salienty, or optical characteristics. In some instancesinstrumentation is dropped for obtaining soil samples from the oceanbottom. Sometimes, Navy hardware is advertently dropped or damagedwithin the ocean which requires a salvageor retrieval operation to beperformed. The Navy is also involved in underwater construction wherestructural members must be moved from one location to another. In allthis work there is a need for gripping devices which will enableretention of the instrumentation, structural member, or misplacedhardware so that it can be moved by a lifting device.

Divers or deep submersibles are often employed to attach a grippingdevice to an object on the ocean floor. Various known attachment devicesare slings, clamps, and pad eyes. In dealing with heavy objects, a diveris required to weld a pad eye to the object before a liftcable can beattached for retrieval purposes. All of these gripping devices areextremely difficult to operate in an underwater environment. When thewater is deep the ocean pressure and the coldness of the water presentsa hostile environment to a diver who is attempting to rig the grippingdevice to a submerged object.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is a strong need for a gripping devicewhich can be easily and quickly operated in the deep ocean forretrieving or moving an object therein. The present invention hasprovided a device which will grip an ob-' ject with a suction force soas to cause a very tight retention of the object. The gripping device ofthe present invention includes a container which has a compartment whichis capable of withstanding a vacuum relative to the ambient oceanpressure. A plunger is slidably and sealably mounted through a wall ofthe container, and elastomeric means are mounted to the exterior of thecontainer about the plunger for forming a chamber. The plunger extendsbeyond the container so as to be capable of engaging the submergedobject and sliding toward the vacuum compartment when the elastomericmeans is pressed against the object. The plunger has a passageway meansfor communicating the chamber with the vacuum compartment when theplunger is slid toward the compartment. With such an arrangement, thedevice will vacuum grip the submerged object when the elastomeric meansis pressed OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present inventionis to overcome the aforementioned problems associated with prior artgripping devices.

Another object is to provide a device for gripping an object wherein thedevice will perform its gripping function by simply a pressing actionagainst the object.

A further object is to provide a gripping device which can be easily andquickly utilized by a diver for attachment to a submerged object.

These and other objects of the invention will become more readilyapparent from the ensuing specification when taken with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an ocean view illustrating a diverattaching the present device to a submerged object for retrievalpurposes.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the present gripping device.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the gripping deviceprior to attachment to an object.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the gripping deviceafter attachment to the object.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings,wherein like reference numerals designate like or similar partsthroughout the several views, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a grippingdevice 10 which has been attached by a diver (not shown) to a submergedobject 12. In this mode of operation, a lifting line 14 may be connectedto the gripping device 10 so that after the diver has attached thegripping device 10 to the oject 12, the object 12 can be lifted to asurface ship.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated an exemplary grippingdevice 10. The gripping device includes a container 18 which has acompartment 20 which is capable of withstanding a vacuum relative to theambient pressure surrounding the container. The container may becylindrical with top and bottom ends 22 and 24 respectively. The annularwall of the container 18 may extend downwardly from the bottom end 24,so as to form an annular foot portion 26 which will be described in moredetail hereinafter.

A plunger, such as a rod 28, slidably and sealably extends through thecontainer, 18. When the container is cylindrically shaped, as illustratdin FIG. 2, it is preferred that the rod 28 slidably and sealably extendthrough the bottom end 24 of the container. The seal between the rod 28and the bottom end 24 of the container can be accomplished by an O-ring30. In the preferred embodiment, the rod 28 also slidably and sealablyextends through the top end 22 of the container for lateral stability.Another O-ring 30 should be utilized for accomplishing this seal in thesame fashion as for the bottom end 24.

Elastomeric means, such as an annular neoprene boot 32, is mounted tothe exterior of the container 18 about the plunger 28 for forming achamber 34. The boot 32 is preferably mounted to the bottom of thecontainer 18, and diverges therefrom so as to form in combination withthe container a generally cup shaped chamber 34. In order to retain theboot 32 to the bottom of the container 18 the boot 32 may have anannular lip 36 which is bonded or molded to a ring 38. The ring 38, inturn, may be threaded within the annular foot 26 of the container. Inthis manner, the boot 32 may be easily removed and replaced as desired.The boot 32 should be sufficiently flexible, and preferably alsoresilient, so that upon engaging an underwater object the boot will flexslightly upwardly, as illustrated in FIG. 4, to make a good seal withthe object.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the rod 28 is capable of extending beyond thecontainer 18 so as to engage the submerged object 12 and so as to slidetoward the vacuum compartment 20 when the flexible boot 32 is pressedagainst the object. In order to transfer the vacuum from the compartment20 to the chamber 34, the rod 28 is provided with a passageway means,such as a slanted aperture 40, which communicates the chamber 34 withvacuum compartment 20 when the rod 28 is slid toward the compartment 20.As illustrated in FIG. 4, the slanted aperture 40 must bridge the wallthickness of the bottom end 24 of the container so as to make thisdesired communication. In this position the bottom end 42 of the rod 28has moved up simultaneously with flexing of the boot 32 so that theperimeter of the boot 32 makes a good seal with the submerged object. Itis important that the slanted aperture 40 not make communication betweenthe chamber 34 and the compartment 20 until the perimeter of the boot 32has engaged the object 12. If desired, the rod 28 can be provided with alongitudinal groove in lieu of the slanted aperture 40 for making thedesired communication.

In order to draw a vacuum in the compartment 20 the top end 22 of thecontainer may be provided with a threaded fitting 44. The fitting 44, inturn, may be provided with a valve 46 for shutting off the compartment20 after a vacuum has been established by an external vacuum device (notshown). It should be noted, however, that it would not be necessary topull a vacuum on the compartment 20 if a submerged object is just movedfrom one location to another underwater and is not brought to thesurface since a lowering of the container 18 in the water will cause thecompartment 20 to be at a lower pressure than the ambient waterpressure. When the lifting device is utilized in this mode a plug couldbe utilized in lieu of the fitting 44 for closing off the compartment20.

If the gripping device 10 is to be lifted by the lift line 14 from asurface vessel, it may be provided with lifting eyes 48 which arethreaded into the top end 22 of the container 18. Saddle cables 50 maybe connected to these eyes 48, which, in turn, may be connected to thelifting cable 14 by a ring 52.

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION In the operation of the invention a vacuummay be pulled within the copartment at the surface when it is desired toretrieve a submerged object to the surface of the water. Alternatively,ambient surface pressure within the compartment 20 can be used when itis desired only to move a submerged object from one location to anotherunder the surface of the water. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the grippingdevice 10 may be lowered to the proximity of the submerged object 12 anda diver may press the boot portion 32 of the device against the object12. This causes the boot to flex slightly upwardly and the rod 28 to bemoved from the position illustrated in FIG. 3 to the positionillustrated in FIG. 4. When the rod is in the position of FIG. 4, theslanted aperture 40 communicates the chamber 34 with the low pressurecompartment 20. The chamber 34 is then brought to a low pressurerelative to the ocean ambient pressure with the perimeter of the boot 32making a seal with the submerged object 12. This causes the device 10 tomake a tight suction grip of the object 12 so that is can be lifted bythe lift line 14.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in the light of the above teachings, and, it is thereforeunderstood that within the scope of the disclosed invention concept, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A suction device for gripping an object comprisa container which hasa compartment which is capable of withstanding a vacuum relative toambient pressure;

a plunger slidably and sealably extending through the wall of saidcontainer;

elastomeric means mounted to the exterior of the container about saidplunger for forming a chamber about the plunger;

the elastomeric means having a periphery which lies in a plane and iscapable of making sealing engagement with said object; 7

said elastomeric means being resilient so that after the periphery ofthe elastomeric means makes engagement with the object the container canbe pushed toward the object a distance during which the periphery of theelastomeric means maintains sealing engagement with the object;

said plunger extending beyond the container so as to be capable ofengaging the object and sliding toward the vacuum compartment when theelastomeric means is pushed against the object; and

said plunger having a passageway for communicating the chamber with thevacuum compartment when the plunger is slid toward the compartment;

said passageway communicating the chamber with the vacuum compartmentonly after the periphery of the elastomeric means makes sealingengagement with the object;

whereby upon pushing the elastomeric means against the object a vacuumis established in the chamber and the object is gripped by said device.

2. A gripping device as claimed in claim 1 including:

said elastomeric means diverging from the container and forming with theexterior of the container a cup which extends about the plunger.

3. A gripping device as claimed in claim 1 including: a fitting mountedthrough a wall of the container for pulling a vacuum within saidcompartment; and a valve interconnected in the fitting for opening andclosing the compartment.

4. A gripping device as claimed in claim 1 including:

said plunger being a rod; and

said rod slidably and sealably extending through opposite walls of thecontainer.

5. A gripping device as claimed in claim 1 including:

said container being a hollow cylinder which has top and bottom ends.

6. A gripping device as claimed in claim 5 including:

said elastomeric means being mounted to the bottom of the cylinder anddiverging therefrom so as to form in combination with the container acup shaped chamber which extends about the plunger.

7. A gripping device as claimed in claim 6 including:

said plunger being a rod; and

said rod slidably and sealably extending through the top and bottom endsof the cylinder.

8. A gripping device as claimed in claim 7 including:

a fitting mounted through the top end of the cylinder for pulling avacuum within said compartment; and

a valve interconnected in the fitting for opening and closing thecompartment.

9. A gripping device as claimed in claim 7 including:

1. sA suction device for gripping an object comprising: a containerwhich has a compartment which is capable of withstanding a vacuumrelative to ambient pressure; a plunger slidably and sealably extendingthrough the wall of said container; elastomeric means mounted to theexterior of the container about said plunger for forming a chamber aboutthe plunger; the elastomeric means having a periphery which lies in aplane and is capable of making sealing engagement with said object; saidelastomeric means being resilient so that after the periphery of theelastomeric means makes engagement with the object the container can bepushed toward the object a distance during which the periphery of theelastomeric means maintains sealing engagement with the object; saidplunger extending beyond the container so as to be capable of engagingthe object and sliding toward the vacuum compartment when theelastomeric means is pushed against the object; and said plunger havinga passageway for communicating the chamber with the vacuum compartmentwhen the plunger is slid toward the compartment; said passagewaycommunicating the chamber with the vacuum compartment only after theperiphery of the elastomeric means makes sealing engagement with theobject; whereby upon pushing the elastomeric means against the object avacuum is established in the chamber and the object is gripped by saiddevice.
 2. A gripping device as claimed in claim 1 including: saidelastomeric means diverging from the container and forming with theexterior of the container a cup which extends about the plunger.
 3. Agripping device as claimed in claim 1 including: a fitting mountedthrough a wall of the container for pulling a vacuum within saidcompartment; and a valve interconnected in the fitting for opening andclosing the compartment.
 4. A gripping device as claimed in claim 1including: said plunger being a rod; and said rod slidably and sealablyextending through opposite walls of the container.
 5. A gripping deviceas claimed in claim 1 including: said container being a hollow cylinderwhich has top and bottom ends.
 6. A gripping device as claimed in claim5 including: said elastomeric means being mounted to the bottom of thecylinder and diverging therefrom so as to form in combination with thecontainer a cup shaped chamber which extends about the plunger.
 7. Agripping device as claimed in claim 6 including: said plunger being arod; and said rod slidably and sealably extending through the top andbottom ends of the cylinder.
 8. A gripping device as claimed in claim 7including: a fitting mounted through the top end of the cylinder forpulling a vacuum within said compartment; and a valve interconnected inthe fitting for opening and closing the compartment.
 9. A grippingdevice as claimed in claim 7 including: said passageway having top andbottom openings along said rod which opens simultaneously into thevacuum compartment and the chamber respectively so as to establishcommunication therebetween; the length of the rod below the bottomopening of the passageway being such that said communication isestablished only within the distance of movement of the container towardthe object after the periphery of the elastomeric means makes sealingengagement with the object.